falloutfanficfandomcom-20200214-history
Battle of Okinoerabu-shima
The Battle of Okinoerabu-shima was a battle between the Communist Party of Japan and Ryukyu Republic for control of Okinoerabu-shima, an island south of Tokunoshima. Because of the fact that most of the RDF forces had been withdrawn to Okinawa to defend the island, as well as the mostly flat terrain with only a single artillery battery for shore defense, as well as total CPJ naval and air superiority, the island was easily captured in only two days. Background After the fall of Tokunoshima, the next target for the CPJ advance was the island of Okinoerabu-shima. The island was smaller even than Tokunoshima, with a postwar population of about 2000 people, including 600 RDF soldiers. Because of its location guarding the northern approach to Okinawa, the island had a single artillery battery on the summit of the 246-meter tall Oyama, an extinct shield volcano with gently sloping sides. The Tokunoshima had six 155mm howitzers, with a range of up to about 23 kilometers, mounted in a circle on top of the mountain every 45 degrees, so that at least one gun could fire on ships coming in from any direction. CPJ Landings CPJ attacks on Okinoerabu-shima began on June 3rd, 2201, when CPJ air forces began launching attacks on the Ryukyuan defenses, particularly the battery on top of Oyama. The Ryukyuan Air Defense Forces responded with five F80 jet fighters, which made a hit-and-run missile attack on the incoming fighters, downing two CPJ aircraft, but retreated so as not to be destroyed by the 15 CPJ F80J and Xian fighter jet escorting the piston-engine bomber and attack aircraft. Three more aircraft were shot down by AA guns, mostly 40mm Bofors and 20mm Oerliken guns, before, at 1420 hours, a bomb dropped from CPJ aircraft scored a direct hit on the Ryukyuan battery, setting off much of the ammunition in an explosion that destroyed all but one of the guns. On the night of June 3rd to 4th, 2201, CPJ naval forces began placing themselves about 30 kilometers off the north shore Okinoerabu-shima. Four assault ships- pre-war container ships armed with heavy artillery- along with 12 gunboats moved to within 20 kilometers of the island, and began firing on Oyama, as well as other suspected locations of RDF positions. The defenders on Oyama managed to manhandle the one surviving gun, which was pointed to the east, 90 degrees to aim at at the incoming CPJ ships. As they were limited to less than 100 rounds of ammunition, the Colonel Kurobe, commander order the gunners fire to hold their fire until daylight, when the landing force moved in close to the island, in order to maximize the amount of damage they could do. While the RDF had lost about 60 men and all but one of their big guns, as well as multiple lighter weapons, many of the 600 regulars and 800 militia survived the bombardment thanks to Okinoerabu's network of limestone caves. At 0700 hours on the 4th, the first wave of CPJ forces, consisting of over 30 landing boats carry 1200 infantry, escorted by 12 gunboats advanced on the north shore of the island, bound for a small dock on the north side of the island, which would provide the easiest landing point to get up the cliffs that surrounded much of the islands. As the CPJ vessels closed to within a few kilometers of shore, the 155mm gun fire at the incoming craft, along with multiple mortars and autocannons. The first 155mm shell went wide, but the second destroyed two landing boats in one shot. Four other boats were destroyed by the fire, as well as gunboat, which was struck directly by a lucky shot from the 155mm gun. The fire from the guns was not enough to prevent all the boats from reaching the shore, and by firing, the last surviving gun, as well as the smaller weapons had revealed their positions and came under fire from the gunboats, as well as aircraft. The last 155mm gun was knocked out within 15 minutes of firing. On the dock and nearby beaches, the CPJ attackers found themselves under fire from machine gun nests and snipers on the cliffs overlooking the beaches. The CPJ landing force were pinned down for 15 minutes behind the seawall until CPJ gunboats, come moving within a few kilometers targetted and eventually silenced the guns. About 60 CPJ troops were killed on the beaches and docks before they reached the top of the cliffs. Upon securing the landing zone, the CPJ infantry took control of two villages just to the south of the landing zones with light resistance, consisting of militia men armed mostly with hunting rifles, shotguns, and police pistols. The estimated 20 US-made power armor that the CPJ had with the first wave proved valuable for drawing fire from strong points, which were then finished off with handheld rocket or grenade launchers, or else targeted by gunboats or aircraft. With a beachhead established, about 800 infantry advanced south across the island, but started taking heavy fire from about 200 regulars and 300 militia entrenched in near Wadomari Harbor, the main harbor on the island. While the CPJ advance was halted for about an hour, seven gunboats and three assault ships quickly ranged Wadomari and shelled the town. The town was also hit by air strikes for six converted light planes and three Umidori, Japanese pre-war tilt rotor aircraft similar to the American Vertibird. After being pounded by artillery for the better part of 40 minutes, many of the heaviest defenses, including two RDF technicals armed with 20mm Oerliken guns had been disabled and over 100 Ryukyuan regulars and militia, as well as at least as many civilians. The town of Wadomari was taken by 920 hours, and at 945, a second wave of 14 tanks, 14 other vehicles and 1500 infantry landed at 1600 hours at Wadomari in a pre-war car ferry and 14 light boats. An additional 500 men also arrived at the north harbor at around the same time. Having effectively cut the island in half, the CPJ first targetted the eastern side of the island, all the while keeping Oyama, the location of the greatest concentration of enemy forces under heavy artillery fire. By 1100 hours, the 200 or so militia east of Wadomari had been pushed to the easternmost point of the island, where they finally surrendered. Taking the Oyama Summit With the eastern half of the island cleared by 1100 hours, the CPJ prepared their first attack towards the slopes of Oyama. The attack would be two pronged, with the main force attacking from the northeast and a secondary attack on the settlements on the south side of the mountain to the southeast. CPJ advances were slowed by the necessity to clear out the limestone caves that criss-crossed the island, that were used as ambush points by Ryukyuan regulars and militia. For this reason, the area up to the foot of Oyama was not cleared until 1300 hours. At that point, CPJ forces began taking heavy fire from the Ryukyuan defenders in caves, trenches, and earthworks on top of Okinoerabu-shima. While the artillery had been destroyed since that morning, the defenders still had seven mortars, a 40mm and two 20mm AA guns, five 106mm recoilless rifles, an L30 Gatling laser, and dozens of machine guns and rocket launchers. The largest group of CPJ forces attacked up a the northeast slope, spearheaded by eight Type 73 tanks and 10 other AFVs, while the remainder of the infantry and armor attacked up the southeast slope. The northeast attack advanced more quickly, attacking up an are of the mountain covered entirely in farmer's fields with no forested area. Even the northern attack, however, was slowed by the stubborn resistance from the RDF defenders, who attacked from positions hidden in tall grass and caves. Both of the two CPJ tanks, as well as most of the vehicles were destroyed in the engagement, and about 80 men were lost before the CPJ forces, supported by heavy fire from the tanks, finally broke through, and reached the summit of the mountain. The last major pocket of Ryukyuan defenders was cleared on the 5th of June after heavy fighting in a cave on the west side of Oyama, cleared out in close-quarters fighting with grenades and flamethrowers. Some holdouts remained hidden in the caves for the duration of the war, but these 20-30 individuals could prove little more than an occasional nuisance, and many were killed in firefights with the CPJ in the coming weeks. Only seven holdouts are known to have emerged form the caves alive after the war. Aftermath With the CPJ controlling Okinoerabu-shima on the 4th, the last major obstacle in the path to Okinawa was open. What would become known as the Second Battle of Okinawa would begin less than week later, on June 10th, with invasions of the outlying islands off of Okinawa and the landing first at Nago on the 11th and then landing near Uruma on the 14th. The Battle would end in defeat for the CPJ thanks to the heavy Ryukyuan defenses and the timely intervention of the postwar Japanese state. The damage to Okinoerabu-shima was lighter than other islands due to the short duration of the battle, but there would nonetheless be considerable destruction, particularly on east end of the island, that would have to be rebuilt. Category:Battles Category:Events